Virus numbers climb back to double figures but remain low; Health Minister says Holberton facility will become a morgue

Although they are still on the low side, new COVID-19 cases are back into double digits.

The Ministry of Health’s most recent dashboard shows 21 new lab-confirmed infections for Monday, October 18.  Ninety samples were processed at the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre from which the positive cases were realized.

There are 26 people who are hospitalized, of which five cases are severe, five moderate, and 16 mild.  Fifty recoveries have been recorded, increasing that total to 3,171.

The number of lab-confirmed cases in Antigua and Barbuda is now 3,939, which is inclusive of 671 active cases.

Meanwhile, Health officials say that, due to a technical error, the dashboard of October 15 inadvertently was not published. 

There were 24 new COVID-19 cases and 18 recoveries recorded on that day, and the Ministry notes that these figures were included in the totals published in the dashboard of October 16.

Officials report there were two virus-related deaths, which bring that figure, according to their count, to 97.  However, the hospital has confirmed three deaths, which move the total from 95 to 98 based on our News Room tally.

As the private mortuaries struggle to cope with the number of fatalities, Health Minister Sir Molwyn Joseph says that Government will be repurposing a facility on the Holberton Hospital compound to be utilized as a public morgue.